Several years ago, I purchased a brick semi-attached home in Northwest DC (shown below).
We remodeled the interior of the home and people love it once they step inside but the first impression from the outside isn't great. There are some problems I don't think we can solve (such as the ugly power lines) however I am curious to see if anyone can provide some affordable tips on how we can make the exterior look more appealing.Because your neighborâs home is a mirror image of your home, itâs difficult to differentiate your home from theirs without eliminating the âconsistencyâ of your adjacent homes. But you can certainly landscape along the grass division between your driveways. Short flowering shrubs can be a great way to do that. Another way to dress things up is to create more of an entrance. Since theirs is not visible, you can do your own thing here. A small pergola above with a more attractive lantern to the left of the entrance can help frame the entrance and give it more curb appeal. You could also plant a flowering vine to the right of your doorway and allow it to creep over the pergola entrance. You may also have room to locate two planters on either side of the doorway to accommodate impatiens or gardenias that remain in bloom for a long time. Finally, change your door to something more dramatic â sold wood painted black and perhaps lose the storm door. Those small changes can make a big difference and are all very cost effective.
Body of exterior should be scraped to eliminate loose material(Be sure to tarp perimeter to catch scrapings)
Light power wash allowing period for body to dry completly
Company----Brick Match KitâProduct allows the surface brick to breatheâPaint changes characteristics of
exterior and would be a future maintainance issue Paint captures moisture which causes freezing and
thawing,causing the brick to âspallâ or loose its face
Assuming the exterior moldings and trims are wood material These areas shold be scraped and light
sand,with a sealer primer and one top coat of S/W semi gloss exterior paint
Keeping your neighbors driveway dilemmas and yard in mind, unfortunately it looks as though they either arent interested in improvement renovations like you are or simply cant afford it right now. You may or may not be able to help influence them in that direction, but first, in an attempt to draw people eye to your side I would recommend separating your property from theirs by installing a 6 ft. while vinyl fence between the driveways and possibly a white gutter downspout or molding on the wall between the units. I am not a fan of painting brick but you can have it pressure washed and re-pointed to bring out the colors. After that replacing the windows to newer energy efficient white vinyl units or depending on your budget repairing any wood damage to the existing trim and caulking/painting the existing ones and painting or replacing the fascia, will help the facade immensely. I cant see the yard on your side but you may be able to add a red brick knee wall or something along the driveway, a white vinyl sun room or screened in deck connected to the structure with strategic colorful landscaping in the rest of the lot to add to the overall appearance of your lot. A gazebo or nice shed would aide in keeping peoples eye on your yard instead of theirs long enough to drive by too. With any luck that will pressure your neighbor to improve their property as well.
Some improvement can be made with some landscaping but landscaping usually only helps during spring and summer months.
You could consider putting shutters on some of the larger windows, painting the window trim and garage doors a different color. The concrete drive can also be stained to give it some life. The stain wonât last forever but if done properly it will last several years.
A more drastic improvement would be to paint the brick. This is done a lot in our area, especially on homes that have a dated brick color or have become discolored and stained.
Of course painting your Front Door a bright color and putting tall shutters on either side of it can really class up the front.
Hi - I would recommend a full-view glass/screen door if you absolutely must have a screen door. Lose it if itâs not necessary. Iâm not sure if you have a HOA, and if they will allow you to paint the front door. A solid front door painted a color such as dark green or burgandy would make it pop. I would also put potted plants outside the front door to make it more visually appealing. Those are some simple suggestions. Good luck to you!
http://SummitDesignRemodeling.comStaining and finish coating a driveway is a great way to add color to your curb appeal, which looks like that may be difficult to achieve otherwise, due to the amount of brick. It will also have the added benefit of protecting your concrete from breaking down. I would also add a decorative entry door. Possibly wood with a window, or depending on your climate, you may want to get a fiberglass door to prevent rot and have it faux finished like wood. If you choose this option, make sure you hire a true professional as it does require extensive knowledge and expertise.
A dark colored roof, similar to a Pewter Grey by GAF Timberline may be an option to spruce up the aesthetics or curb appeal of the home. The current 3-tab shingle is warn and streaking, which sometimes may cause the brick to appear more aged. The limited landscape design will also help to brighten it up a bit. Package it with the roof and your vinyl windows and you may have just what youâre looking for without digging too deep into your pocket. I hope this helpsâŚ
Murdoch Walker Roofing & Siding
I would start by creating the distinction between the two driveways with a short hedge. Change out your light fixture to something more dramatic and if its in the budget why not the door as well. It looks like there is room for a large plant box or pedestal to the right of your door. Flowering window boxes are very in right now as well. A bright blue hydranga would really stand out with white impatients. Check out these ideas I tagged on pinterestâŚ
LANDSCAPE LANDSCAPE LANDSCAPE! Make it stand out from the attached units. Whether you plant some colorful flowers or shrubs, add a mulch bed. Anything that will make your property stand out against the rest. People will drive by and think, âWow, now that is cool!â Trust me, it works. Make it go âPOW!â when people drive by.
Landscaping is a good place to start. I would also consider window shutters and fresh paint on your window sills.
Landscaping would definitely be a great improvement. A beautiful garden in the front perhaps with a water feature would definitely make your home stand out. Landscape lighting would give your home a much more attractive appearance at night and would safely welcome you, your family & guests to your front door
A new paver driveway, path and steps would certainly make the entrance to your home OUTSTANDING!
All of these improvements would transform your home and give it its own unique identity.
Feel free to visit our website for some ideas⌠www.DesignscapesNY.comFront yard deserves an enhanced pergola or covered entry plus LOTS of low voltage lighting and raised planters if space allows. Stamped concrete driveway and contrasting front door paint (Taupe is a great color against ANY house body color). Joe A.
A great way to improve the âcurb appealâ of any home is by replacing the garage doors. This is not only asthetically pleasing but also functional.
There are a lot of different styles of garage doors available to the residential consumer these days. Even the basic panel doors have crisp clean lines which will improve appearance. There is no extra charge if you add a color to your garage door. If you spend a little more you can get a carriage house style door with faux exterior hinges and handles.
Many people use the garage door as the main entrance to their home. Adding a garage door opener and exterior keypad will make access much easier. By installing an updated door and operator you are making this entrance to your home safer. A lot of manufacturers are making âpinch proofâ sections so you can not get your fingers stuck between the door sections. New garage door operators have safety sensors which aid in safe closing of the door without injury to people or damage to property.
To see some ideas of new garage door styles, check out http://www.chiohd.com and look at their door gallery or âbuild your doorâ tabs on their home page. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find us at http://www.docdoorgarage.com and click on contact us or directly at [email protected]
Thank You, John Guido
WowâŚThere are several directions I thing you can takeâŚ
You could deep clean the brick, densify the morter, and then apply a waterproofing coating (densifyer YouTube designed for concrete...has Perms)...
Thermolock can be applied to outside walls...smooth plaster look, textured, grained. and you can put color into the coating. (Youtube Thermolock)
Put awnings on the windows....for a splash of color.
Build a deck above the garage with access from left side or shrink the picture window and put in a door....
Apply a new roof coating to the whole building , metal, tile, new elastomeric paint..
Hope you and your neighbor get along on decisions...
JimmyPEOPLES FIRST IMPRESSION OF YOUR HOUSE USUALLY HAPPENS WHILE WALKING UP TO THE FRONT DOOR. REPLACEMENT DOORS AND WINDOWS MAKE A LARGE IMPACT ON THE LOOK OF YOUR HOME, AND IT CAN SAVE MONEY ON ENERGY TOO. ALSO, NEW DESIGNED CAPPING AND TRIMMING OF THE DOORS AND WINDOWS CAN ADD EVEN MORE CURB APPEAL.
Hello,
I can understand that the first impression is the last impression. I would suggest you to do fencing in front of your home. There are many types of fencing you can do. Wood Fencing, PVC Fencing, Chain Link Fencing etc.
You can see the samples here http://goo.gl/5RqMq9To give your home exterior a beautiful look, replace the entry door of your home with a new stylish one. It will give your home a new look. Also work on the wall-paint. Apply fresh paint if it sounds needy.
There are many ways of making the exterior of your house more appealing to homeowners. Here are a few options to do.
Exterior painting is the most common and first step in making your home more curb appealing. If you want make your home more curb appealing, change it to a 2 tone light and dark shades to show more details.
Next you can add a porch with a design to attract more of a distinct look. Porch can be made out of concrete or wood and can be built with any design you might be interested in. Tiles on the concrete can be used as well for decoration.
Fencing is another way you can add curb appeal. Wrought iron fencing with bricks can be designed in a way to add value, and allow for a more distinctive look.
For help or ideas contact Socal Preferred Builders 855-247-6225